


I'll Be With You 'Till the End of the Line

by thecumberbinch



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Flashbacks, Light Angst, M/M, Memories, Pining, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Song Inspired, before the war, many captain america 1 quotes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 09:13:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15116333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecumberbinch/pseuds/thecumberbinch
Summary: A work that centers around many points in Bucky and Steve's relationship, in no particular order.





	I'll Be With You 'Till the End of the Line

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! this chapter is heavily song inspired, and here's the version I listened to while writing it. Enjoy! :)
> 
> https://plvsmid.tumblr.com/post/161434992878/moonlight-serenade-playing-from-another-room

_“I guess I’m just waiting for the right partner.”_

 

Despite popular belief, Steve _had_ danced: Once, years ago. The memory had yellowed and aged along with everything else from his life, so it was a little blurry around the edges. He remembered most of it, though; it was one of the calmest, heartwarming, and terrifying moments of his life.

 

In the days after being dragged out of the water by Bucky, or the Winter Soldier (he’d like to believe Bucky was still in there, somewhere; but it doesn’t change the fact he’s so far gone he doesn’t even know his own name), he thought about it a lot.

 

The one time he learned to dance.

 

_It was pouring outside, around midnight, he guessed: Steve grunted as he moved another already half-full bucket underneath the leak in the ceiling,_

_“Damn thing. I’ve patched it up at least three times now, and it keeps comin’ back,” Steve said, flinching as a cold drop hit his head and slid down his shirt. Bucky looked up from his book, laughing at Steve’s dark expression as he watched the wet patch in the ceiling drip water into the bucket below._

_“Stevie, you might wanna get the whole damn roof redone. I’m not sure if patching it up again is really gonna help.”_

_“Buck, you know I don’t have nearly enough money to get the whole thing redone. Patching’s gonna have to do for now.”_

_Steve joined Bucky over on the couch, leaning over to look at his book,_

_“What are you reading? Some romantic drivel, I’m guessing?”_

_He laughed, “Not exactly; Oscar Wilde.”_

_“Close enough.”_

_They both laughed, partially at Steve’s comment, partially at Bucky’s peculiar reading choice._

_Bucky cast a glance over at the record player sitting on a wooden table across from where he was sitting,_

_“Steve? Do you know how to dance?”_

_Steve was silent, shifting away from Bucky. The tapping of raindrops against the windows and the solitary drip of the leak in Steve’s ceiling filled the room._

_“Hey, it’s ok if you don’t; I was just curious.”_

_Steve relaxed, letting his shoulders slump, “No. No, I don’t. No one’s really inclined to dance with someone whose head doesn’t even reach their shoulders.”_

_He laughed, “I’ll teach you, if you want.”_

_“Sure, I guess.”_

_Bucky put down the book, dog-earing his page and walking over to the crate next the record player, lazily flipping through the songs until he found the one he wanted._

_“Moonlight Serenade? Really? That’s the most commonly played song ever. Have some originality, Buck.”_

_“Hey! Just because it’s played a lot doesn’t mean it isn’t good!”_

_Steve laughed, “Eh, whatever. What do I know?”_

_Bucky put on the record, leaving the needle aloft for now._

_“Ok; first things first, I’ll lead. Pay attention to what I’m doing, ok? Put your feet on top of mine.”_

_Steve nodded, flicking his eyes up to meet Bucky’s, then back down to his feet._

_“So I’m gonna put one of my hands on your back, and I’m gonna hold your left hand. That’s where you put your hands when you dance with a girl.”_

_Steve hummed in agreement, letting Bucky lace his fingers with his and jumping slightly as Bucky put his hand on his back._

_“You can put your other hand on my back, if you want,” Bucky said, glancing down, “It’s pretty simple, once, you’ve got the positioning down, just sway.”_

_They stayed that way for a while, the dripping of the leak providing them with a somewhat steady metronome, Steve awkwardly staring down at his feet._

_“Let’s try it with the music now. Just sway with it; trust me, its not that hard.”_

_Bucky went back over to the record player, flipping the switch and dropping the needle. It crackled a bit, and the first notes of the familiar tune drifted through the apartment, melding with the white noise of the rain and the leak, the occasional crack of thunder joining the ensemble._

_And in the middle of it all, Bucky and Steve, slowly swaying, hand in hand, faces glowing with the golden light shining from the ceiling, Steve’s nose almost brushing Bucky’s shoulder. It was as if time had stilled, just an endless loop of them dancing in a haphazard formation to avoid bumping into furniture._

_If only it could’ve stayed that way, frozen in time, like a sculpture carved from glass._

It hurts Steve to know Bucky, no; the Winter Soldier has forgotten it. Or maybe he hasn’t; but he knows that’s too much to hope for.

 

When he has good dreams, they’re dancing again, in the future.

_“I’m gonna need a rain check on that dance.”_

 

Somewhere, at some point in time, they’re still dancing in Steve’s living room, listening to the rain pattering against the window and the dripping of his leaky ceiling and an endless loop of Moonlight Serenade; but he knew even back then it could never last.

 

It’s only a faded memory.

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me! my tumblr is @ironsapphic


End file.
